Means for preventing creases in fabrics as taken up in looms



Jan. 8, 1957 w. PAQUETTE 2,776,677

MEANS FOR PREVENTING CREASES IN FABRICS AS TAKEN UP IN LOOMS Filed Mafch14, 1955 IN VEN TOR. ELMEP- W. Pnqug-rrz' A TTORNE V MEANS FORPREVENTING CREASES 1N FABRICS AS TAKEN UP IN LOOMS Elmer W. Paquette,Norwich, Conm, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, acorporation of Maine Application March 14, 1955, Serial No. 494,030

6 Claims. (Cl. 139-304) This invention relates to looms for weaving, andmore particularly, to means associated with the fabric takeup meansthereof for preventing the formation of creases or wrinkles in thefabric as it is takendup and wound.

It is ageneral object of the invention to devise a simple and effectivemeans for preventing creases forming in fabrics as they pass through thetake-up and wind-up means in the loom.

It is a more specific object of the invention to accomplish the abovementioned result by means adapted to be built in as a part of a new loomor to be installed as an attachment for looms presently in use and whichshall accomplish its intended purposes without having any other andundesired effect upon the fabric.

Other objects will become apparent from the following more detaileddescription.

In weaving certain materials, it often becomes difiicult to take up andto wind the fabric without its becoming wrinkled or creased, that beingsomething which detracts from the appearance and general desirability ofthe fabric as it comes from the loom. Many devices have been suggestedand used with varying degrees of success, butin no instance has any oneof these been Wholly acceptable to the industry nor have they come intouse except in very isolated cases.

According to the invention a loom having the usual take-up and windingmeans for the fabric is so modified that the fabric is passed about avery substantial percentage of the circumference of the take-up rolland, at a point between that at which it is guided onto and from theroll, is passed about a roller driven adversely to the direction ofmovement of the fabric. This roller is preferably rotated by its contactwith the take-up roll and is provided with a surface covering whichfrictionally engages the fabric to maintain its width.

The invention will be described by reference to a specific and preferredembodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying figures of drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of part of a loom to which the invention has beenapplied.

Fig. 2 is a section taken at line 22, Fig. 1, showing the invention indetail.

Now referring to the drawings, a loom of more or less conventional typeincludes loomsides 10 and 11, a breast beam 12, bottom girt 13 and atake-up roll 14 and wind-up or cloth roll 15. The take-up roll and itsshaft 16 are borne in bearings in cloth roll stands 17 and 18 and isdriven in the usual way by a system of pawls (not shown) operable upon apick wheel 19 in turn connected to the shaft and roll through a geartrain generally indicated by numeral 20.

The take-up roll is surfaced with some suitable material adapted toprovide the necessary tractive effort to draw the fabric withoutslipping, cork being the preferred surface material.

Journaled in bearings 21 and 22, the cloth roll or core is driven by achain or other drive 23 at the right end of the loom. This driveincorporates a slip clutch to 2,776,677 Patented Jan. 8, 1957 ice takecare of speed variance as the diameter of the wound package increases.

After formation, the woven material is drawn over a guide bar 24 andbeneath a guide roll 25 the ends of which are freely rotatable inbearings at the upper ends of depending arms 26 and 27. These arms inturn are pivoted in forward extensions 28 and 29 of the stands 17 and18. Roll 25 may be a plain steel roll or may be surfaced with cork orthe like.

Adjacent the lower ends of arms 26 and 27 a roll 30 similar to roll 25is provided for free rotation and this roll may likewise, be coveredwith cork or any similar traction surface. The arms 26 and 27 are forkedat their lower ends and eye bolts 31 and 32 attached at the loomsidesand carrying thumb nuts 33 and 34 serve to draw roll 30 into pressureengagement against the fabric between that roll and the larger roll 14.

The fabric is threaded as shown in Fig. 2 over guide 24, under roll 25,about the take-up roll 14 and over roll 30 which is, in effect, a pinchroll. It then passes to the cloth roll below to be wound thereon.

As the fabric is passed about roll 14 it is also affected by a crease orwrinkle preventing roller 35 the reduced ends such as end 36 of whichare supported upon inclined ways 37, one of which is shown in Fig. 2,but it must, of course, be understood that the same is duplicated at theopposite end. This roller is preferably covered with a heavy nappedfabric or other equivalent surface material and the fabric F is threadedabout it being separated from take-up roll 14 at that general location.The pressure of the taut fabric against roller 35 forces it intoengagement with the roll 14, the inclination of inclined Ways andconvergence between them and the cylindrical surface of the roll allcooperating therewith to cause the roller 35 to be virtually positivelydriven from the take- .up' roll, but in the opposite direction asindicated by the arrows.

In operation, the fabric is drawn by the take-up means which reallyincludes rolls 14, 25 and 30 acting in conjunction with the creasepreventing roller 35. The angle of contact about roller 14 is relativelygreat due to use of rolls 25 and 30, the latter of which acts as a pinchroll, even though continuity of engagement is broken. The more or lesspositive rotation of roller 35 oppositely to the direction of movementof fabric past it setsup a calendering action in combination with anaction of the surface covering of the roller to prevent contraction orlateral disturbance of the passing material. While the complete theoryof operation and full reasons for the success of the device may not beknown, it is a fact that on those fabrics the weaving of which have sooften been accompanied by considerable tendency to form creases, thedevice is notably effective. Most troublesome wrinkling has beeneliminated and fabric of this sort is now made with virtually no lossesfrom such defects. This is a particularly gratifying result since thisfault has been more prevalent during weaving of many materials which arehigher in price and therefore more critical.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to beunderstood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number ofways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precisedetails described, but is intended to embrace all variations andmodifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and other means onwhich the fabric is wound, guide means for maintaining the fabric incontact with the takeup roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface, and a means for preventing the formation of creasesand I; the like in the fabric as it is taken up which comprises a rollerinterposed between the fabric and the take-up roll as the fabric iswrapped about said roll and means cooperating with said fabric as itpasses about said roller for causing the rotation of said roller in adirection opposed to the passage of the fabric thereover.

2. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and other means onwhich the fabric is wound, guide means for maintaining the fabric incontact with the takeup roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface, and a means for preventing the formation of creasesand the like in the fabric as it is taken up which comprises a rollerinterposed between the fabric and the take-up roll as the fabric iswrapped about said roll, and means cooperating with the fabric as itpasses about said roller for pressing it into driving contact with thesurface of said take-up roll thereby to cause rotation of the roller ina direction opposed to the passage of the fabric thereover.

3. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and other means onwhich the fabric is wound, guide means for maintaining the fabric incontact with the takeup roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface, and a means for preventing the formation of creasesand the like in the fabric as it is taken up which comprises a rollerinterposed between the fabric and the take-up roll, a means upon whichsaid roller is rotatably borne and upon which it is forced by thepassing fabric into driving engagement with the take-up roll, a surfacecovering on said roll and roller thereby to provide traction'al drivingof the roller by the roll in a direction opposed to the direction ofmovement of fabric past the roller.

4. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and other means onwhich the fabric is wound, guide means for maintaining the fabric incontact with the take-up roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface, and a means for preventing the formation of creasesand the like in the fabric as it is taken up which comprises a rollerinterposed between the fabric and the take-up roll, means upon whichsaid roller is rotatably borne comprising inclined surfaced supports theinclined surfaces of which and the adjacent cylindrical surface of saidroll converging so that in conjunction with the force exerted by thepassing fabric, the roller is pressed into driving contact with the rollto be rotated reversely to the direction of movement of the passingfabric.

5. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and means uponwhich the fabric is wound, guide rolls for maintaining the fabric incontact with the take-up roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface which comprises rolls over which the fabric ispassed, one at least of said rolls being positively pressed intoengagement with the fabric to act as a pinch roll in conjunction withthe take-up roll, and means for preventing formation of creases and thelike in the fabric as it is taken up which comprises a roller interposedbetween the fabric and the take-up roll as the fabric is wrapped aboutsaid roll and means including the fabric and take-up roll for causingthe rotation of said roller in a direction opposed to the passage of thefabric thereover.

6. In a loom the combination of a fabric take-up roll and means uponwhich the fabric is wound, guide rolls for maintaining the fabric incontact with the take-up roll over a substantial portion of itsperipheral surface which comprises rolls over which the fabric ispassed, depending arms in which said rolls are borne and adjusting meansby which said arms are drawn to a position to develop pressure betweenthe lower one of said rolls and the take-up roll, and means forpreventing formation of creases and the like in the fabric as it istaken up which comprises a roller interposed between the fabric and thetake-up roll, means upon which said roller is rotatably borne comprisinginclined surfaced supports the inclined surfaces of which and theadjacent cylindrical surface of said roll converging so that inconjunction with the force exerted by the passing fabric, the roller ispressed into driving contact with the roll to be rotated reversely tothe direction of movement of the passing fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS977,898 Priborsky Dec. 6, 1910 2,276,791 Palmer Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS 142,621 Great Britain May 13, 1920

